Sermon Tone Analysis

Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

We have seen

Have you ever read someone elses mail?

Note passed in class Or bill or finaicl letter - last notice cut off - rush across the street… Welll know there is context you need - we got that in frist two sermons - Epaphras from Ephesus - echoe to L Valley -started chrches, now 10 years later - trial, imprionsment - Epharphas reports -terribel false teaching jeproadizing good start - Like church in NA today - false teaching lurks to pull us off - but not just doom and gloom - Paul very wise solution - not cranky scolding type of guy - Starts wth solid hope and solution in Christ - faith hope and love all the blessingw and spiritual power you’ll need, then takes theme of false teaching FULNESS - says not going to find that, not going to get to next levelsspirituallly - by any silver bullet, program, teaching spirinciple - but PERSON - like Mitch Marner -

AGENT - blows us away i Creation, In Redemption - first born from among the dad - Preminance, and then also AGENTY at end - present us befor him spotless - like Valanna before Simon - do what you can - perfect agent in our lives now with unlimited resources - redeem humanity … Well wrapping up introduction ,b efore turns to the body of the letetr - deal with false teaching, deal with how to live - Reme3mber never met these guys, and see in 2:1 and at the end of the letter in 4:13 Laodeicia Hieloplis, imagine even you and me - as we face dangers, Paul wants to make deep personal connectio, as apostle sent by Jesus to Gentile to passionately set before us the goal of avoiding shipwreck of false teaching, by coming to Christina maturity - Here he very personally lays out key truth:

KEY: By participation in the economy of Christ’s Church avoid shipwreck

A. Participation in Chris’s Body Involves Suffering & Joy in Service

Before looking at the partiicpation of usffering and service, do you see the personal element here.

YOu cn see in three prhases: i.

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,

i.

Paul is no masochist, doesn’t rejoice because of suffering, as if Devil’s plan to mess up your life, and Christ church - is a good thing in itself - not sickness,not death, not loss of job, not hardship in relationships, not evil , not sin - But he does rejoice in, in the middle of suffering FOR YOUYOUR SAKE.

Ever see that - ie Jack - parent willing and even happy to suffer to help their child.

HUPER on behalf of is a huge word in the NT - at the heart of the gospel - Christ suffred and died and was raised FOR OUR SAKE, on our behalf.

Like Paul here the LROD in his flesh - so identiified - we have saying I have skin in the game.

IE Investment $$ in companay or frieds venture - not dispassionate bystander....

Paul says I am suffering for you - in chain, uneer arrest , I am moved by plight of your church - as if suffering with you.

Ie.

Can’t really love a human being, be with them, unless sympathy felt it - Paul has here - have you WHY?

so interesting - though Paul just saying Christ’s sacrfice in his body on the Corss - complete nothing lacking, said it was finished -= trust in that secure in salvatio.

aul just said Chrsti Premeint not only in creation but in Redemption, saving you and me.

But now as and Hebrews says, don’t see allthings rdeemed and put in order under Christ’s feet, though exalted and truipmhed, this in between time stage that profgressively bring broken things on earth under His reign of grace from heaven, by Spirit and his word!

Paul so passionately ssays, and here is the personall participation that matters so much as the foundation of all the other particiat9ing we will do - you are in Christ by faith - then you are mystically, organically joined to Him - as the God-man not only represented you, but you are included in him.

First Adam was living being, but fell, a sinner, in bondage to darkness at first,lost his dominoin of this world, But in His seed, in Christ - Second Adam, enw hamnity - we are his body on earth, FIRST BORN OF THE DEAD - - like leading all his brothers and sisteres from broken humanity, inetresting novel INDUALOTOIA - margert Tahcher - no more such thing as SOCIETY - individuals, suicide , ehtunaisa ...... but now those belive in Christ, untied to HIm, as it were out from the grave as new SOCIETY , new community - part of that body the Church!

And here’s the most comforting message to you who suffer like Paul, like the Colossians, you who are in crisis , who struggle with doubt, who get stuck in sin, woh grieve and die - your afflictions - are Christ’s affliction - Isaiah In all your affliction I was afflicted… - Paul Paul why do you persecute ME? Until Christ comes again all the suffering you and I go through as memebers of Christ, is what’s lacking in Christ’s suffering until he comes again.

What the OT and Jesus himself called the birthpains befre the fulness of the Messianic Age.

Ever love someone it costs - selfgiving love that creates beauty out ofg ugly and hard thigs .Costly love.

And Jesus says share in that love, that suffering love - commuinon with Christ means commuion with each other - bear each other burdenes.

And that’s why Christians can rejioce not because, but in afflictions.

In the middle Christ is bearing that suffering, for a purpose, in any suffering we are to steward it.

These kinds of suffering not obstacles for joy, but as Calvin experienced really lovig refuggee Chrstians from France, Pland, Germany, Engalnd - seeing them go out and suffere - hearts knti together, - give all he had for their welfare - Suffering in and for Christ with each other, gives place for joy.

It is the occassion of joy.

Suffer forthe sake of others, like Christ is to commuon with greatest joy of salvion.

Paul underlines he’s got this perosnal conecion to theri suffering, do you with anyone around here?

Do we with the suffering, tested, tempted church?

Do we with congretgations going through struggle?

There are Messianic afflictions not yet filled up that Pual had to parcticpate in - to hepp others - some for you and me too.

And I think that is why Paul doesn’t say, bacuase of this God made me an apostle to the Gentiles.

But empahsizing his solidatrity with them, he says, that in this body that you and I are a re apart of:

which I became a minister/servant according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

Col 1:25

Not official title - REv, Dominee, pASTOR., ACTUALLY WROD FOR DEACON, but not as a title.

What all of us, inclduing the exalted Paul called to do - be a servant!

Servant not just of people here and there in their need, but of what?

THIS STEWARDSHIP from God - steward was a manager of a large and wealthy household, doesn’t mean nuclear family - but estate with father/mother, grandparents, children, servants, freedman in the fmaily business, what’s this a needy, a widowed… attached to this body ACUTALLY THE WORD ECONOMY , household - is an adminstration - Christ’s household the church is an adminstering of grace , done’st exist just to give glory to God, doesn’t axist just so you can show up here and get heaven and some nice feelings - it exists - admnistered so broken people like you and me ,isnners and revbels, outcasts - RECEIVE AND ARE ORGANIZED BY NEW RELATIONSHP OF LOVE WITH GOD IN CHRIST< with

Paul given particualry task in this admin, big one, but al of us young old, many talents are few - GIVEN TO ME FOR YOU…

Do you get that among us - scattered all sorts of grace, all sorts of gifts, time , given you love, words of counsel, given you hand - What ever is not given is lost, - not for nice indivudal life - but FOR OTHERS.... none of us belong to ourselves anymore, and all are called to partiicpate for commoon good - in the middle of sufferings.

IE man in hospital prayed with Pastor Jack.

Loneliness of grief, unwatned singleness,- walk beside others.. .

You experience this then like Paul say - feel it is God toiling through me, Feel it I am ready to struggle for you… Olympic word , represent not only athlete but there city … Paul says , I am strguglin agnzing in great taask of comfort for you.

Ever feel that committed to somehting so much bigger than my middle class comforts, that as a church exist more for than just ourselves - and I am ready to spendand be spent in this gospel partnership work!

This ithte foundation of parictinpating in Christ’s body and coming to maturity in Christ.

But if you can say, yah I am signed up, invested in this communion of the body of Christ both in sufferings and th joy of comfort, of service.United ot hte body of Christ, I am a member here in the household the adminstration of his grace.

The question then is what is the currency of that economy… what is it we trade in, what is it w give and share and receive and build up among others, and invite those not yet part of this fellowship into?

B. The Currency of the Economy of Christ is the WORD, THE MYSTERY, CHRIST!

Do you have any treasures in your home?

I fyou had a fire what phyical opssessions would yourun out with.

Treaures… phone, jewelery.

What about story of your life any treasured moments - look back wouldn’t want htose removed .. How about your household any traditions, habits, ways of doing - family meals, games, reading,movie night.

Certain camping time together?

How about your faith your rleigious life - what is the centre Indiscipenwsible What is it you talk about to others if talking church?

If God gave you opporotunity to speak to nieghbour .

If conversation with family member turned ouff by church what would you direct the convesation too.

When you think about what you like about his congregation - even boast about - what’s the centre - fellowship, programs, doctrine, as minsteres is it the worship service, is it the sacraments - hear Paul wants these Chrsitians to have a crystal clear focus a to what the treasure of the church is - not experience, not secret higher learning, not theolgoy, not prnciples, or new method - not IIIII disicpleship spiritual disciplines.

No listen to the curreccy of that we da lin if we are in the body of Christ, th household , thenew community, the economy of grace!

It’s how you answer that question What is the Treasure?

Listen to how Paul answers that question.

of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully know

Col 1:

It is the Word of God - how living God works in this world - actions he takes, and with every action He is a God who comujicates - HE Speaks to us of those actions - expalin and pally them - Fullest way and culminating way - fulfimment of al lHe’s said and promised, and threated i -is Jesus Christ who is the fuliment of the Word, - God’s final and fulest refvealtion.

That’s the treausre the currecny we deal in - Chris as the Word expaling and aplying the grace of God, the Truth of God the wisdom of God the ohoiness of God to our lives!

And this isn’t just an add on to our spiritual lives, or our church life it is the centre and the only thing that can save us from shipwreck!

FULLY make known… Recently heard a story of a Chinese exchange student - got to America - asked a pastor tell memore about his Christainity about Jesus - heard abit but not much - What have you heard from the Simpsons - only exposure to living Christ throug Ned Flanders church goer mocked inth Simpson and Rev Lovejoy … Laugh but tha is maybe as much thoguht as much exposure that your fellow classmates, fellow workers, even sadly fellow family memmbers may have to the ONE WHOMMADE THIS WORDL SAVED THIS WEORD AND ONE Day will Jduge this World.

But Paul says, this Word is I’m charged to make fully known!

Many Christians don’t have the word of jesus as something progressively grow in knowing - a little each day more and more knowing Christ through his wor.d

Paul goes on to say this rteasure of God’s Word fullknown - is

of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.

Do you remember when the Reubics cube came out - study and bothered utnil could do at least 2 sides, A mysery hidden at first - Want to hear the answer to mystery of happiness, to great love, to becomoing a miillionaire - hddeen to you - but boy give anything to have it revealed.

Paul saying, the mystery of Christ, Messiah - shadowy before angels didn’t fully undertandat dawn of creation, in ages of this world covered over, only in shadowy form, and local thing., …

But Paul is saying, compared to the gimmicks of gnostics - full knoweldge, ecstaci experience of fulness, bodily ritual discipline … I’ve got the foundain of youth, eternal life , got the answer to death, Got the tree of life - eat of it, I’ve got deepest satisfaction of pleasure, got the ansewr to justice - Got wisdom - so unsure accepted - got full assurance loved, adoptwed by God, - This mystery once hidden, now fully revealed for all who will come to Christ.

And not just come once good for heaven, but come contiually - draw from HIm life.

Jesus said abide in Him, he will abide in You!

So he says this mysteryi s Christ in you the hope of glory.

Need to understand that the OT said God would dwell among his poeple Numb , Jews coud undertand if holy, kept law, special people tabernacle prsesen, could understand even fill special peope for a while, But Jeuss reveals all just a s symbol to say - God now really dwell not with but in soul of everyone who comes to him.

NOt just “religious peole” but the Gentiles - that’s the hope of glory.

You know faith is memory of what God did in the past in Christ, but you knwo what hope is its the memory of what God will do in the future through Christ for you.

Do you spend time with this Christ, not just as an add on, but in prayer, cintual hunger fo rhis Word, do you governed by His Spierit who brings his word into rememberance, do you live daily dying to sin and living to God’s good will and teaching in Christ?

That is Pau;l’s point - this treaure this mystery is not just for afew spritual people here, its for all who are in Christ, for all who in him are saints - given inheritance of richses of wisdom and knoweldge in Christ.

Why Paul says:

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

THis is what we are about - we the body of Christ, every member - we warn people - that’s the repent part the change in life part - don’t just live for money sex or power, don’t waste your life turn it in God’s direction but not just warn, in presdnting Christ to each other, we teach everyone with all wisdom!

That’s the faith part - here is the treasures of knwoeldge and all spiritual wisdom - what you are to belive.

I just spent time up onthe North - amazing how remote these places are.

When first exporers came they would leave CACHES of supplies, materials, Imagine shipwrecked, or boat forzen into ice - got to survive.

Well thos cache’s would be hidden - so bear wouldn’t eat up all those supplies and destory al lthe selter, and much up the matches.

Well that’s a world without Christ who is prememeintent treasure - the catlyst and the linch pinthe centyre and purpose and goal and -

And that treasure that cache of all knowledge and wisdom and power for holy living - hidden to peopl - until explores search out and latch on .. And then what do theos eexploresers do they - all that treasure was stored up and deposited for them, and now they must take it out - God’s got teaure in Christ, that you are supoosed to spend the stock here and now!

ie Sister saying to me money is to spend too.

Freedom to take out and use.